Department for Transport

Roads: Stonehenge

Sir Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to monitor variations in the water table in the area around Stonehenge to ensure that any new roads constructed near to that site do not have a destructive impact on the archaeological remains.

Jesse Norman: Previous surveys have provided an extensive understanding of the variations in the water table that can occur in the area around Stonehenge. Highways England are supplementing this knowledge through further groundwater monitoring, which is informing hydrological modelling being undertaken in collaboration with the Environment Agency. The scheme is being designed to minimise effects on groundwater flows. The proposed use of a tunnel boring machine means the tunnel would be constructed in a sealed, watertight environment. This means water would not need to be pumped out of the ground during construction, ensuring no adverse effects on the water table.

Large Goods Vehicles: Parking

Laura Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure the adequate provision of safe parking spaces for heavy goods vehicles.

Jesse Norman: The Department is aware that there is a shortage of formal overnight lorry parking spaces in some parts of the country. The Department is presently considering a range of measures to help improve the situation, including measures related to planning, a greater role for Highways England, standards for facilities and tackling illegal parking.

Large Goods Vehicles: Roads

Laura Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of heavy goods vehicles using residential roads.

Jesse Norman: The responsibility for traffic management on local roads rests with local authorities as they are best placed to consider how local needs can be met effectively. Local traffic authorities have powers under Sections 1 and 2 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, to restrict or prohibit the use of Heavy Goods Vehicles on any road for a wide range of safety and environmental reasons.

Shipping: Training

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2018 to Question 137533, which (a) training providers and (b) other organisations are licensed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to issue those four basic Standards in Training, Certification and Watchkeeping qualifications listed.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: A list of training providers and organisations approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to issue the four basic Standards in Training, Certification and Watchkeeping qualifications can be found by either searching gov.uk for “MCA ATP” or by following the link[1]. [1] https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mca-approved-training-providers-atp

Roads: Shrewsbury

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in advance of a decision by his Department decision on the business case submitted by Shropshire Council for a North West Relief Road, to be made in the summer of 2018, what opportunities are available to representatives from Shropshire to (a) engage with officials and (b) provide updated information when it becomes available.

Jesse Norman: We already have a comprehensive business case from Shropshire Council which we have been reviewing and have had their responses to our follow up questions. We do not plan to invite further information from bidding Councils or to have meetings with them prior to any announcement.

Roads: Safety

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish his Department’s latest survey of the Strategic Road Network based on the International Roads Assessment Programme star safety rating model, and if he will make a statement.

Jesse Norman: Highways England will publish their star safety rating assessment of the Strategic Road Network based on the International Roads Assessment Programme model later this year.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Fracking: Insolvency

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will introduce mechanisms to protect the public purse in the event that a fracking company becomes insolvent after Government consent has been provided for a project and fracking has taken place; and if he will make a statement.

Claire Perry: Each shale gas licensee (and there may be more than one for each licence) is responsible for their well(s). When operations finish, the licensees are responsible for safe decommissioning of their well(s) and for restoring the well-site to its previous state or a suitable condition for re-use.The Government has been clear that it considers that the financial resilience of a company wishing to hydraulically fracture is a relevant consideration in the consents process. As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement of 25 January 2018, on Energy Policy, HCWS428, as a matter of policy we will look at the financial resilience of all companies wishing to carry out hydraulic fracturing operations alongside their application for Hydraulic Fracturing Consent.My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has therefore asked the Infrastructure and Projects Authority to assess the financial resilience of Third Energy UK Gas Ltd, including its ability to fund decommissioning costs.BEIS officials are also working with the industry’s trade body UK Onshore Oil and Gas to ensure that liabilities for shale wells are addressed in the rare circumstance where all of the companies on a licence became insolvent, and where no rescue mechanism for those companies could be found.

Motor Vehicles: Fossil Fuels

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has plans to respond to the recommendation on conventional cars and vans on page 44 of the Report, An independent assessment of the UK’s Clean Growth Strategy published by the Committee on Climate Change in January 2018.

Claire Perry: We have said that we will end the sale of new conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040. Our ambition is supported by one of the most comprehensive packages of support in the world for ultra low emission vehicles, and we have one of the biggest markets in Europe for ultra low emission vehicles. Meeting the 2040 commitment should be industry-led, with Government monitoring developments closely. Against a rapidly evolving international context, we will seek to maintain ambitious targets and our leadership position, intervening firmly if not enough progress is being made. Government’s role in the decarbonisation of road transport will be set out in the forthcoming zero emission road transport strategy.

Energy Performance Certificates

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to issue a call for evidence on the adequacy of trigger points for Energy Performance Certificates.

Claire Perry: The Clean Growth Strategy, published in October 2017, set out the Government’s intention to publish a Call for Evidence on extending Energy Performance Certificates to other trigger points and seeking wider views on how they could be further improved in light of new sources of data and capabilities. Preparations to launch this Call for Evidence are underway and we will publish this shortly.

Renewable Energy: EU Action

Dr Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 12 April 2018 to Question 134601, on EU Energy Policy, whether it is the Government's policy to oppose the European Council raising its renewable energy target to 35 per cent in accordance with the position of the European Parliament.

Claire Perry: The UK’s position in these negotiations is to seek maximum flexibility for each Member State to be able to develop the most cost-effective pathway for them to deliver their emissions reductions commitments, including deciding what contribution renewable energy should make to meeting that commitment, whilst recognising the need for mechanisms to give the EU assurance that its objectives on renewables will be met. We believe that the 27% EU renewable energy target agreed by Council in December 2017 struck the right balance between ambition and cost-effectiveness for Member States, in line with the 2014 European Council Conclusions.

Renewable Energy: EU Action

Dr Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to question 134601, on EU Energy Policy, whether it is the Government's policy to oppose the European Council raising its energy efficiency target to 35% in accordance with the position of the European Parliament.

Claire Perry: The UK’s position in these negotiations is to seek maximum flexibility for each Member State to be able to develop the most cost-effective pathway for them to deliver their emissions reductions commitments, including deciding what contribution energy efficiency should make to meeting that commitment, whilst recognising the need for mechanisms to give the EU assurance that its objectives on energy efficiency will be met. We believe that the 30% EU energy efficiency target, with indicative national contributions, as agreed by Council in June 2017 struck the right balance between ambition and cost-effectiveness for Member States.

Wind Power

Ms Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of his Department's policy on onshore wind on domestic energy prices.

Claire Perry: Domestic energy prices are impacted – both positively and negatively - by a wide range of Government policies. The Clean Growth Strategy sets out our ambition to secure the lowest electricity costs in Europe, particularly for domestic consumers, and also to deliver the Government’s carbon targets and ensure security of supply. Our policies for delivering clean growth generated an average net saving on household energy bills of £14 in 2016.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Western Sahara: Business

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how his Department determines the interests and wishes of the people of the Western Sahara in establishing whether commercial activity there is legal or otherwise.

Alistair Burt: The UK's position is that we do not consider commercial activity to be illegal in Western Sahara, providing it respects the interests of the Sahrawi people.It is for companies to take their own decisions whether to do business in Western Sahara, but the UK recommends they take legal advice before doing so. Further information can be found in the Overseas Business Risk guidance, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-business-risk-morocco/overseas-business-risk-morocco#western-sahara

Hezbollah: Weapons

Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of Hezbollah's weapons arsenal.

Alistair Burt: ​We are aware of concerns that Hizballah continues to amass an arsenal of weapons in Lebanon. We condemn the threat that this poses to regional stability and in direct contravention of UN Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1701. The UK is working with Lebanon to reinforce its state institutions, in particular the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). It is in the interests of Lebanon that the LAF are recognised as the only legitimate armed forces of Lebanon.

Palestinians: Radicalism

Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the level of radicalisation in the Palestinian Territories.

Alistair Burt: ​We strongly condemn all violence and all incitement to commit violence. We are deeply concerned by continued incitement against Israel in the Hamas-run media and education system. The glorification of terrorists as “martyrs” is a barrier to peace. But President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority have repeatedly demonstrated their commitment to non-violence and a negotiated two-state solution. It is important that the Palestinian leadership continue efforts to fully implement the recommendations of the Quartet Report regarding incitement.

Israel: Palestinians

Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of changes in the level of violence in Israel and the West Bank.

Alistair Burt: We remain concerned about the use of violence in Israel and the West Bank. The UK firmly believes that, to have the best chance of success, the Middle East Peace Process must be conducted in an atmosphere free from violence. We press the parties to refrain from rhetoric and actions which make the goal of peace harder to achieve. We call on all parties to act with restraint, reject violence, and work together to ensure calm and stability.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Plastics

Thelma Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs,  what steps his Department has taken to reduce its use of single-use plastics .

Alistair Burt: ​On 27 February , the Foreign Secretary announced that the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) would eliminate avoidable single-use plastics from its UK operations by the end of 2018, and from its global operations by 2020. It is the first British Government Department to announce such a ban. This ambitious target makes the FCO a leader in the fight against plastic pollution not just in the UK, but globally too. Since January the FCO has taken steps to remove avoidable single-use plastic from its UK catering outlets. For example, in its UK canteens, the FCO has switched plastic cutlery and food packaging and cups to biodegradable alternatives and provided additional glasses and china mugs to reduce waste. In early April in the UK we introduced a 50p 'latte levy' on single-use coffee cups which has increased the use of reusable cups from 3% of total hot drinks sales to 46%. In the year to date, our actions have reduced plastic waste from our UK catering operations by about 40% compared to the same period last year. We have requested all Heads of Mission overseas take similar action and are working with our suppliers to further reduce avoidable single-use plastics to enable us to meet the Foreign Secretary's target.

Syria: Palestinians

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations has he made to the Syrian authorities on the attacks on Palestinian refugees in the Yarmouk Camp, Damascus.

Alistair Burt: ​We have had no direct contact with the Syrian regime about the Yarmouk Camp, Damascus. We have used our position in the UN Security Council to call upon the regime to cease any indiscriminate attacks, to protect civilians and allow rapid and unhindered humanitarian access, including to Yarmouk and the surrounding areas. We have done this most recently in the UN Security Council consultations on the humanitarian situation in Syria on 25 April.

Bangladesh: Politics and Government

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effect on (a) human rights, (b) rule of law, and (c) implications for the democratic process of the arrest of the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Begum Khaleda Zia.

Mark Field: I remain concerned by the absnec eof an effective dialogue between the main parties in the run up to the general election given the recent history of political unrest in Bangladesh. The UK is committed to supporting democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Bangladesh, and the country remains a Human Rights Priority Country for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Foreign Secretary met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister Ali during his visit to Bangladesh from 9 to 10 February. He stressed the importance of free, fair elections and affording political space to the opposition. I did the same when I met with Foreign Minister Ali on 19 April in the margins of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

Bangladesh:Elections

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the performance of the Electoral Commission of Bangladesh in administering free, fair, and transparent electoral processes.

Mark Field: The Election Commission in Bangladesh has an essential role in delivering the free, fair and inclusive elections that are essential for Bangladesh. The UK has repeatedly called on the Government of Bangladesh and opposition parties to allow the Election Commission to carry out its important work free from political influence. We have also called on the political parties to create the effective dialogue necessary for a free, fair and inclusive elections process to take place. The Foreign Secretary met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister Ali during his visit to Bangladesh from 9 to 10 February. He stressed the importance of free, fair elections and affording political space to the opposition. I did the same when I met with Foreign Minister Ali on 19 April in the margins of the Commonwealth Summit 2018.

Bangladesh: Assassination

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of extra-judicial killings in Bangladesh.

Mark Field: Bangladesh remains a Human Rights Priority Country for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and extra-judicial killings remain a significant human rights concern. One prominent local human rights organisations alleges that 154 extra-judicial killings took place in 2017, down from 178 in 2016. Our human rights concerns, including extra-judicial killings, were raised during the UK-Bangladesh Strategic Dialogue in London on March 15 and our officials in Dhaka regularly raise our concerns with the Government of Bangladesh

Afghanistan: Human Rights

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Afghan counterpart on the human rights of the Hazara people in that country.

Mark Field: ​The UK regularly urges the Government of Afghanistan to ensure that the human rights and safety of all minorities, including the Hazara people, are protected. We do so bilaterally and with international partners, including the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the EU. Our Embassy in Kabul frequently meets representatives of Hazara communities to listen to their concerns. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office also engages with members of the Hazara diaspora in the UK.

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Office: Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many staff were employed in her Department as of 1 May 2018.

Mr Shailesh Vara: A total of 151 staff are working in my department as of 1 May 2018. This number is made up of directly employed staff from the Home Civil Service (73%), and staff seconded in from the Northern Ireland Civil Service (27%).

Department for International Development

Yemen: Overseas Aid

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to supply further humanitarian aid  to Yemen after supplies were destroyed at the port of Hodeidah on 31 March 2018.

Alistair Burt: On 31 March, a fire destroyed a World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse in Hodeidah containing an estimated 3,422 metric tonnes of nutrition supplements and other food. WFP reported that the incident had not affected their food distribution pipeline.On 3 April, DFID announced an additional £170 million in response to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen for the new financial year (2018/2019). This is in addition to over £400 million in bilateral support from the UK since the conflict began in 2015.The UK has led the call for unhindered humanitarian and commercial access into Yemen, including through the UK-coordinated Security Council Statement of 15 March, the Secretary of State’s visit to Riyadh in December and lobbying from the Prime Minister. DFID is also providing expertise and funding to UN shipping inspectors to facilitate import flows into Yemen.

Yemen: International Assistance

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions she has had with her Saudi counterpart on the pledge of the Saudi Government in January 2018 to donate $1.5 billion to humanitarian agencies in Yemen in coordination with the UN.

Alistair Burt: The Saudi-led Coalition’s Yemen Comprehensive Humanitarian Operations Plan, announced on 23 January, included a commitment to provide $1.5 billion of new donations to the 2018 UN Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan, costed at $2.96 billion. Following this announcement, UK Ministers – including the Prime Minister – encouraged Coalition counterparts to disburse this funding quickly. At the Yemen High Level Pledging Event held on 3 April, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait pledged $500 million, $500 million and $250 million respectively to the UN, totalling $1.25 billion. So far, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have disbursed $930 million to the UN Appeal. The UK will continue to encourage members of the Coalition and other donors to fully and quickly disburse the funds they have pledged to the UN Appeal.

Department for Education

*No heading*

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of referrals to children’s social care services resulted in (a) no further action and (b) a child being assessed not to be in need for children aged (i) 0-15 and (ii) 16-17 years old in Rotherham in 2017-18.

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children were referred to children’s social care services in Rotherham in 2017-18; and how many of those referrals resulted in (a) no further action and (b) a child being assessed but found not to be in need for children aged (i) 0-15 and (ii) 16-17 years old in Rotherham in the year ending 31 March 2017.

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of referrals to children’s social care services in Rotherham resulted in no further action in each year between (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2016-17 for children aged (i) 0-15 and (ii) 16-17 years old.

Nadhim Zahawi: Holding answer received on 02 May 2018



The available information is in the attached table. The department is currently collecting information on children in need during the year ending 31 March 2018. Figures will be published in November 2018.  



Proportion of referrals to Rotherham LA
(PDF Document, 97.68 KB)

STEM Subjects: Free Schools

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of pupils at free schools studied STEM subjects in each of last three years; what steps he is taking to encourage free schools to promote the study of STEM subjects in advance of the roll-out of T levels; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: Holding answer received on 02 May 2018



We publish GCSE entries[1] in each subject of pupils at the end of key stage 4[2], by school type[3]. Entries in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects for 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2016/17 in free schools are provided in the table (attached). The number of students[4], who completed their 16-18 study in either a mainstream free school, or 16 to 19 free school, in 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2016/17 and entered[5] a STEM subject[6] during their 16-18 study are provided in the table[7] (attached): We do not hold data broken down as vocational STEM qualifications. We publish exam entries by Ofqual sector subject area at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/types-of-regulated-qualifications/qualification-descriptions, and in the Statistical Release “ Revised A level and other 16-18 results” at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/types-of-regulated-qualifications/qualification-descriptions. Free schools, as academies, have the freedom to choose their own curriculum, providing that it meets the requirements of its funding agreement – for example that it is broad and balanced and includes English, maths and science. It is ultimately for schools to decide whether to offer particular qualifications. We are working to further increase the take-up of STEM subjects which are vital to the future economic health of the UK and can help boost earnings. This is why at Budget 2017 we announced an additional £406 million in education and skills, including maths, digital and technical education.We have a number of programmes to improve the quality of STEM teaching in schools and to encourage increased engagement in STEM subjects at GCSE and A level. This includes a new £84 million programme to improve computing teaching, the national network of Science Learning Partnerships which provide training for science teachers, the Teaching for Mastery programme to improve the teaching of mathematics, and a new advanced maths premium to encourage more schools and colleges to teach pupils maths post-16. We are also investing in initiatives to recruit more high quality maths and physics teachers, including bursaries of up to £26,000 and scholarships of up to £28,000 to attract top graduates into teaching.We are inviting our most selective maths universities to apply to open new specialist maths schools, to help more of our most mathematically able students to succeed in maths at top universities and pursue mathematically intensive careers. We are also encouraging the take up of STEM subjects through the University Technical College programme, which has an important role to play in our reforms to technical education. [1] Only a pupil’s first attempt at a qualification is counted in performance measures in line with early entry policy (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/676213/SFR01_2018_QualityandMethodology.pdf).[2] Pupils are identified as being at the end of key stage 4 if they were on roll at the school and in year 11 at the time of the January school census for that year. Age is calculated as at 31 August for that year, and the majority of pupils at the end of key stage 4 were age 15 at the start of the academic year. Some pupils may complete this key stage in an earlier or later year group.[3] Tables available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-gcses-key-stage-4 in the subject tables for the revised publication in each year (‘S7a’ for 2015/16 and 2016/17 and ‘S4a’ for 2014/15).[4] Covers students at the end of advanced level study who were aged 16, 17 or 18 at the start of the academic year, i.e. 31 August.[5] Where a student has made more than one entry in the same subject only one entry is counted: for example, if a student entered for two physics A levels in a reporting period only one of these entries is counted in the figures shown in this table.[6] Figures for 2015/16 and 2016/17 cover maths, further maths, biological sciences, chemistry, physics and computer science A level entries during all years of 16-18 study (up to three years). Figures for earlier years cover maths and science A level entries in the final two years of advanced level study.[7] It is not possible to directly compare figures across different years because of changes in discounting, the inclusion/exclusion of different qualifications, and changes to individual subjects.



Entries_in_GCSE_STEM)subjects_in_free_schools
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Entries_in_A-level_STEM)subjects_in_free_schools
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Corporal Punishment: Children

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the defence of reasonable chastisement and punishment is available to (a) nurses and (b) other staff acting in loco parentis in (i) mental health inpatient units and (ii) other health settings charged with the assault of a child in their care.

Nadhim Zahawi: The government is clear that physical punishment should not be used by staff in these settings. While there is no specific legislation that prevents staff in these settings seeking to use that defence, the court would need to consider whether they were acting in loco parentis and whether the chastisement was reasonable. The Mental Health Code of Practice states that restrictive interventions by healthcare staff should not be used to punish. The Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education will shortly publish guidance for healthcare staff on reducing the need for restrictive interventions on children and young people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs.

Schools: West Midlands

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to close the deprivation attainment gap in (a) Coventry and (b) the West Midlands.

Nadhim Zahawi: Holding answer received on 02 May 2018



Educational achievement, irrespective of background, is at the heart of our commitment to make this a country where everyone has a fair chance to go as far as their hard work will take them.We recognise that children from poor backgrounds may face additional challenges to realising their potential. We have spent over £13 billion since 2011, almost £2.5 billion this year alone, through the pupil premium to provide schools with resources to overcome barriers to learning and introduced the early years pupil premium for disadvantaged three- and four-year olds. Since 2011, the attainment gap in England has narrowed by 10% at age 11 and 16. Over 15,000 pupils in Coventry are eligible for support and last year their schools received more than £18 million through the pupil premium. In the West Midlands over 258,000 attracted the pupil premium, bringing an additional £302 million to their schools.We look to schools to use this extra funding effectively. We know from research that a personalised approach, drawing on well-evidenced strategies, generally produces good results. Studies by the National Foundation for Educational Research and the toolkit maintained by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) provide support to school leaders in their decision-making. Examples of effective practice have been highlighted through our national Pupil Premium Awards. The EEF, which was set up in 2011 through a £125 million government grant, also runs a national network of Research Schools that help other schools adopt effective, evidence-based approaches to improving disadvantaged pupils’ attainment. Shireland Collegiate Academy in Sandwell is the designated EEF Research School for the Midlands.We know that gaps can open by age five, much earlier than 11 or 16, and that the early years has a key role to play in improving social mobility later in life. That is why in' Unlocking Talent, Fulfilling Potential', we set our ambition to close the word gap at age five, backed by over £100 million of investment. The evidence clearly points to the impact of early education on later outcomes, and that disadvantaged children stand to gain the most. That’s why we’ve invested over £2 billion since 2013 in the entitlement to 15 hours of free early education for disadvantaged two-year-olds, from which over half a million have benefitted. Nearly 5,000 of these children took up their place in Coventry, worth £3.4 million.The gap in Coventry between the proportion of disadvantaged children achieving a good level of development at age five on the early years foundation stage profile and their wealthier peers continues to narrow, from 17 percentage points in 2013 to 10 percentage points in 2017.

Ministry of Justice

Criminal Injuries Compensation: Offences against Children

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to revise the rules governing the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority with regard to the same roof rule in line with the recommendation of the Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, published on 25 April 2018.

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will introduce proposals to revise Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority rules in line with the recommendation of the Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, published on 25 April 2018, so that awards are not automatically rejected in circumstances where an applicant’s criminal convictions are likely to be linked to their child sexual abuse.

Dr Phillip Lee: The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse published its Interim Report on 25 April. The Report contains a series of recommendations for specific changes, several of which are directed at Government. This includes a recommendation that: the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme remove barriers so that where an applicant’s criminal conviction(s) is/are linked to their child sexual abuse, their claim is not automatically rejected. The Government welcomes the Report and is now considering the Inquiry’s recommendations very carefully. We will respond fully in due course.

Offences against Children: Civil Proceedings

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will estimate the potential cost to the public purse of supporting victims and survivors of child sexual abuse in making a civil claim.

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will bring forward legislation in line with the recommendation of the Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, published on 25 April 2018 to ensure that victims and survivors of child sexual abuse in civil court cases when they are claiming compensation in relation to the abuse they suffered are afforded the same protections as vulnerable witnesses in criminal court cases.

Dr Phillip Lee: The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse published its Interim Report on 25 April. The Report contains a series of recommendations for specific changes, several of which are directed at Government. This includes recommendation that: victims are supported in bringing their civil claims by the Association of British Insurers publishing a list of public liability insurers upon whom claims may be served; the law is changed so that victims are afforded the same protections as in criminal cases when they are claiming compensation the Departments of Health and Social Care, Education, the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office work together to establish current levels of expenditure and the effectiveness of that expenditure.The Government welcomes the Report and is now considering the Inquiry’s recommendations very carefully. We will respond fully in due course.

Offences against Children: Civil Proceedings

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will amend the Civil Procedure Rules to ensure that judges presiding over cases relating to child sexual abuse consider the use of protections for vulnerable witnesses.

Dr Phillip Lee: The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse published its Interim Report on 25 April. The Report contains a series of recommendations for specific changes, several of which are directed at Government. This includes a recommendation that: the burden of costs, which is already a barrier to making claims is not further increased; the Civil Procedure Rules are amended to ensure that judges consider the use of protections for vulnerable witnesses; the Heath Sector develop a national policy on training and the use of chaperones. The Government welcomes the Report and is now considering the Inquiry’s recommendations very carefully. We will respond fully in due course.

Offences against Children

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will introduce proposals to establish the (a) current levels and (b) effectiveness of public expenditure on services for child victims and adult survivors of child sexual abuse in England in line with the recommendation of the Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, published on 25 April 2018.

Dr Phillip Lee: The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse published its Interim Report on 25 April. The Report contains a series of recommendations for specific changes, several of which are directed at Government. This include a recommendation for: the Departments of Health and Social Care, Education, the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office work together to establish current levels of expenditure and the effectiveness of that expenditure. The Government welcomes the Report and is now considering the Inquiry’s recommendations very carefully. We will respond fully in due course.

Offences against Children

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will commission an inspection of compliance with the Victims Code by relevant Departments in relation to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.

Dr Phillip Lee: The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse published its Interim Report on 25 April. The Report contains a series of recommendations, including that the Ministry of Justice, Home Office and Attorney General commission a joint inspection of compliance with the Victims’ Code in relation to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. The Government welcomes the Report and is now considering the Inquiry’s recommendations very carefully. We will respond fully in due course.

Courts and Tribunals: Closures

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) courts and (b) tribunals have closed as a result of leases not being extended in each year since 2010.

Dr Phillip Lee: Since 2010, following consultation, 24 courts have closed and the leases of the buildings were not renewed or extended. Since 2015, 1 tribunal has closed and the lease of the building was not renewed or extended. In the case of tribunals, HM Courts and Tribunals Service does not hold information centrally for closures pre-dating 2015.

Employment Tribunals Service

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average waiting time was for an employment tribunal appeal hearing to be listed in each year since 2010.

Dr Phillip Lee: HM Courts & Tribunals Service can only provide data for the period 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2017. Data below the level of published statistics are not available prior to 1 April 2014 due to a data reconciliation exercise. The average waiting time for an employment tribunal hearing to be listed during each year from 2014 is shown in the table below. Table: Average waiting time of employment tribunal claims for a hearing in each year from 2014. Average waiting time (in weeks) from receipt to first hearing  April 14 - March 15April 15 - March 16April 16 - March 17April 17 - December 17  Average listing rate (wks) Average listing rate (wks) Average listing rate (wks) Average listing rate (wks)  Single Claims 133 27 28 29  All Claims 1,235 29 30 30   1 Single claims are made by a sole employee/worker, relating to alleged breaches of employment rights.2 Multiple claims are where two or more people bring proceedings arising out of the same facts, usually against a common employer. In this instance the lead multiple claim would be listed for hearing. This table provides the average listing time for both single and lead multiple claim cases.A claim may contain one or more jurisdictional complaints (grounds for the claim). Depending upon the complexity of the jurisdiction this may influence the listing of such claims.All data were taken from the Employment Tribunals Central database and as such is management information that is provisional and subject to change.Although care is taken when processing and analysing the data, the details are subject to inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system, and are the best data available.

Youth Offending Teams: Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the timetable is for the Youth Justice Board to confirm the grant allocations for youth offending services for 2018-19;and if he will make a statement.

Dr Phillip Lee: We recognise the important role that local authorities provide to support young people in their journey through the youth justice system.We will very shortly be in a position to notify the Youth Justice Board of its overall allocation for 2018/19, who will then grant funds to each Local Authority for the delivery of local youth offending services.

Legal Aid Scheme: Social Security Benefits

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much legal aid was spent on advice relating to (a) housing benefits, (b) welfare benefits and (c) other benefits in each year since 2010.

Dr Phillip Lee: Expenditure on advice and assistance at the ‘Legal Help’ level has been set out according to the type of state benefit involved. It is not possible to break information on civil representation in welfare benefits cases down in this manner and therefore the overall costs attributable to this category have instead been provided. Due to the time period this question spans, some benefits mentioned will have been discontinued, replaced or amended which will affect the amount of legal aid costs each incurred. Note that figures for civil representation include costs which were paid by the opponent rather than the Legal Aid Agency, and that all figures are inclusive of solicitor fees, barrister fees, expert fees and VAT. Legal aid remains available in welfare benefits cases, to the extent set out in paragraphs 8 and 8A of Part 1, Schedule 1 of the LASPO Act 2012.See attachment for figures.   



Civil Representation 
(PDF Document, 192.71 KB)

Prisoners: Veterans

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people in prison in (a) Wales and (b) England were formerly members of the armed forces in each of the last five years.

Dr Phillip Lee: We are unable to provide a breakdown as requested. The Ministry began collecting data on military service from 2015, when we made changes so every prisoner coming into custody in England and Wales is asked if they have served in the Armed Forces. Latest figures published in April 2018 show approximately 3% of offenders who responded to the question were former members of the Armed Forces. This figure has remained reasonably consistent over an 18 month period. The Ministry recognises the unique nature of those who served in the Armed Forces and those prisoners who declare a military background are able to access a range of specialist support, including from military charities who deliver services in prisons.

Prison Officers

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has set a target for the net number of prison officers to be employed in the prison service in the next (a) 12 months and (b) three years.

Rory Stewart: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 03 May 2018.The correct answer should have been:

I refer the honourable member to the answer to PQs 137608-10, given on 27 April 2018. As we focus on making our jails safe and decent places to support rehabilitation between the end of October 2016 and the end of March 2018 we have increased prison officer numbers by 3,111, which is already significantly over our target of 2,500 additional staff by the end of December 2018. These recruitment efforts form part of a wider drive to ensure that all prisons are fully staffed so that they can deliver safe and decent regimes.

Rory Stewart: I refer the honourable member to the answer to PQs 137608-10, given on 27 April 2018. As we focus on making our jails safe and decent places to support rehabilitation between the end of October 2016 and the end of March 2018 we have increased prison officer numbers by 3,111, which is already significantly over our target of 2,500 additional staff by the end of December 2018. These recruitment efforts form part of a wider drive to ensure that all prisons are fully staffed so that they can deliver safe and decent regimes.

Prison Officers: Redundancy Pay

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the severance package was for each prison officer who took voluntary early departure and was subsequently re-recruited by HM Prison and Probation Service in each year since 2010.

Rory Stewart: This level of information cannot be supplied due to the risk of identification of individuals. It is therefore exempt from disclosure under the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA).

Ministry of Defence

Military Intervention

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2018 to Question 136629, whether there a limit on the time between the use of lethal force outside of an armed conflict and the subsequent notification of Parliament.

Mark Lancaster: There is no mandated timescale for the notification of Parliament. However, we would do so at the earliest practicable opportunity.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Databases

Deidre Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which (a) external data analysts and (b) data collection companies his Department has used in each of the last five years.

George Eustice: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be collated at disproportionate cost.

Pigs: Imports

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many live pigs were imported by country of import origin in each year between 2012 and 2017.

George Eustice: The number of live pigs imported into the UK between the years 2012 and 2017 and their countries of origin are as follows:* Country of origin201220132014201520162017Belgium88133839123Canada1772471357301837Czech Republic0000020Denmark49916302244194814421453France269202402Germany1009787511011Norway00016046Sweden19038233317200The Netherlands134296713375United States of America0167120303151159  *This excludes data for Republic of Ireland TRACES (Trade Control and Expert System) is a European Commission system employed by EU member states to facilitate and record animal/animal product movements into and throughout the EU. The information that we have provided is a true reflection of the information that we have access to, and was correct at the time the information was obtained from TRACES. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data, as we can only rely on the information that has been input into TRACES by a third party.

Pigs: Exports

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many live pigs were exported by each country of export destination in each year between 2012 and 2017.

George Eustice: The number of live pigs exported from the UK between the years 2012 and 2017 and their export destination countries are as follows: Country Of Destination201220132014201520162017Austria000080Barbados*08Belgium31995294912131204Bulgaria040255314226Croatia** 053000Cyprus00040160Czech Republic30101190Denmark06423500Finland200000France522449755624FYR Macedonia*044Germany150572005041Ghana*08Greece03700057Hungary151203211120Italy5011711519968Japan*230Lithuania562552739340Malta529012301210Nigeria*540Poland039016022Portugal000002Romania500968000Spain653148151319730Sweden0002013Switzerland020008The Netherlands14184240018United States*1219* APHA’s data retention period for non-EU countries Export Health Certification is two years.**Croatia became a member of the EU on 1 July 2013. No data is available for exports to Croatia in 2012 and from the 1 January to 30 June 2013 as this information is outside APHA’s data retention period.This excludes data for Republic of Ireland.The statistics provided for EU Member States show the number of live pigs exported from the United Kingdom in the years 2012 – 2017. TRACES (Trade Control and Expert System) is a European Commission system employed by EU member states to facilitate and record animal/animal product movements into and throughout the EU. This information was provided to APHA by the EU Commission’s DG Sante TRACES Helpdesk due to the unavailability of the TRACES reporting functions. The statistics provided for non-EU countries, denoted by an asterisk, show the number of live pigs exported from Great Britain to non-EU countries. This information has been collated from APHA’s data records. APHA’s data retention period for Export Health Certification is two years, so the information displayed above is for the years 2016 and 2017 only.

Foxes

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to take steps to tackle urban fox population growth.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Government has no plans to control the number of urban foxes in England. The Government’s policy is that individuals should be free to manage wildlife within the law. The decision on whether or not to control foxes lies with the owner or occupier of the property where the problem occurs. Advice on the management of foxes can be obtained from Natural England.

Incinerators

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what methodology was used in the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory to calculate the emissions of (a) PM 0.1, (b) PM 1, (c) PM 2.5 and (d) PM 10 from waste incineration sites.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: In line with international reporting guidelines a number of different data sources are combined to calculate the emissions from waste incineration sites for the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory. These include emissions data from large waste installations reported under the Industrial Emissions Directive and European Pollution Release and Transfer Register and emissions calculated from peer reviewed literature emission factors and activity data.

*No heading*

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 April 2018 to Question 135379, which particulate matter is included in the term total particulate matter.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Total particulate matter includes all particulate matter, i.e. particulate matter of all sizes.

National Parks: Public Transport

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much each national park authority spent on programmes to improve public transport access to national parks in 2017-18.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The total spent by the ten national park authorities in England (including the Broads Authority) on programmes to improve public transport access to national parks in the financial year 2017-18 is shown in the table below. These figures include ongoing support for transport services as well as projects to improve existing access. National park authority2017-18 spending (£)[1]Broads Authority732Dartmoor2,500Exmoor0Lake District21,186New Forest52,015North York Moors26,000Northumberland12,000Peak District4,000South Downs0Yorkshire Dales0Total 118,433In addition to this total, national park authorities report £49,001 of indirect spend aimed at users of public and sustainable transport in national parks [1] Figures provided by national park authorities.

Furniture: Formaldehyde

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) enforcement and (b) effectiveness of the published acceptable limits for formaldehyde both within and released from MDF wood used in furniture.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Six sites in the UK are engaged in the manufacture of particleboard and fibreboard. These sites are all currently compliant with the formaldehyde release limits set out in current published UK guidance. Following the publication in November 2015 of new EU guidance and emission limits under the EU Industrial Emission Directive, UK regulators are currently working with industry to ensure that their environmental permits are all reviewed and updated by the implementation deadline of 20 November 2019.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Plastics

Thelma Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to eliminate the use of single-use plastic cutlery.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: In our 25 Year Environment Plan the Government outlined a range of measures on how we will reduce the amount of plastic in circulation through reducing demand for single-use plastic. This included a commitment to removing all consumer single-use plastics from the central Government estate offices.

FareShare

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with representatives of FareShare on its proposal to increase its capability for redistributing surplus food to those in need.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Ministers have not met representatives from Fareshare to consider their Feed People First campaign.

Incinerators

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 19 April 2018 to Question 135379 on incinerators, for what reason the revised permit issued to Veolia Ltd included the condition that company submit a proposal to the Agency to (a) carry out tests and (b) produce reports on the size distribution of the particulate matter in the exhaust gas emissions to air from emission point A1 identifying the fractions within the PM10, PM2.5 and PM1.0 ranges if there is no commercially available equipment for the continuous monitoring of PM 10 and PM 2.5.

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the results of the monitoring of (a)  PM10, (b) PM2.5 and (c) PM1  undertaken by Veolia Ltd in its revised permit dated November 2007.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Tests to determine the size distribution of the particulate matter in exhaust gas are done by discontinuous (one-off) monitoring using equipment brought to the site especially for the test, rather than using the permanently installed continuous monitors which measure total particulate matter (TPM). Reports of testing to determine the size distribution of particulates in exhaust gases are placed on the public register for all incinerators, which is available online here: https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/index Despite the requirement for this one-off monitoring there is currently no accurate method by which the exact amount of PM2.5, PM1 or PM0.1 emitted from incinerators can be determined. This is because TPM emissions (which include all particle sizes including PM2.5, PM1 or PM0.1) from modern incinerators are so low that quantifying the amount of the smaller particles with any level of accuracy is not possible using currently available technology. For this reason the Environment Agency (EA) is considering removing the requirement for new incinerators to determine particulate size distribution in the future. The EA is satisfied that the TPM emission limit included in all incinerator permits is adequate to ensure that no significant impacts on the environment or human health will be caused by their particulate emissions.

Incinerators

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which incinerator operators hold (a) permits and (b) revised permits that require them to monitor emissions of (a) PM10, (b) PM2.5, (c) PM1 and (d) PM0.1 and if he will publish the results of that monitoring.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: No incinerators are required to monitor these emissions. As per the answer of 19 April 2018 to Question 135379, all new waste incinerators are required to carry out a one-off monitoring exercise after the plant is commissioned to determine the size distribution of particulates in the exhaust gases (currently only for PM10 and PM2.5). The results of this monitoring are published on the public register which is available online at:https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/index.

Dogs: Smuggling

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's summary of responses to its Consultation on the Review of the Non Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order 2011, what steps he is taking to bring forward legislative proposals to reduce the number of dogs being brought illegally into the UK for sale after the UK leaves the EU.

George Eustice: The Post Implementation Review (PIR) will evaluate the effectiveness of the Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order 2011. A public consultation was conducted and responses published in June 2017. We are seeking to publish the PIR report before summer recess. Whilst we remain a member of the EU, we continue to be signed up to the requirements of the Pet Travel Scheme. At present the Government is negotiating our departure from the EU and Defra is looking at future arrangements, including those for the Pet Travel Scheme.

Food Supply

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 March to Question 132028 on Food Supply, whether his Department has made contingency plans in the event that the required flow of food goods from the EU is not achieved.

George Eustice: The Government is pursuing a unique and ambitious economic partnership that provides the greatest possible tariff free and frictionless trade with the EU.The UK’s favourable food security is built on access to a diverse range of sources of supply, including domestic production. This will continue to be the case after leaving the EU, even if the source of some UK food supply changes. Food supply is highly resilient with flexibility throughout the supply chain, and industry can respond quickly to ensure ongoing supply. Defra has longstanding mechanisms in place to work with the food industry. Our industry sector working group can jointly implement contingency plans if required. This comprises food chain Trade Associations and relevant Government Departments including Devolved Administrations and agencies. Defra is working closely with other Government departments, including the cross-Government Border Delivery Group (BDG), which provides oversight and assurance of departmental plans for managing the border-related impacts of leaving the EU both for Day 1 and beyond. Planning work aims to ensure three key objectives for the border are delivered: maintaining security; facilitating the flow of goods and people; revenue protection. In addition, we are working to ensure that the necessary systems and processes are in place so that trade continues to flow smoothly after we leave.

Agriculture: Unmanned Air Vehicles

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with (a) the National Farmers' Union and (b) other stakeholders on the use of drones for crop (i) control and (ii) spraying.

George Eustice: The Government sees technological innovation as being key to increasing productivity and sustainability in agriculture. As part of the ‘Health and harmony: the future for food, farming and the environment in a Green Brexit’ consultation, we are engaging with representatives from across sectors and the public to explore support for innovation and R&D. The use of drones may have the potential to assist precision use of pesticides and benefit both crop production and the environment. We do, however, need to ensure the safe use of pesticides and therefore need to understand any risks to human health and the environment that may result from this novel form of application. The Health and Safety Executive is the regulator for pesticides. They have had discussions with a number of stakeholders interested in using drones to apply pesticides. They have advised the National Farmers’ Union of the work being undertaken to develop an approach to authorising and permitting the application of pesticides by drones.

National Parks Authorities

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many members of each of the boards of National Park authorities live in (a) London, (b) Tyne and Wear, (c) Merseyside, (d) West Yorkshire, (e) South Yorkshire, (f) West Midlands and (g) Greater Manchester.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The number of members of England’s national park authorities whose main address is given as being in (a) London, (b) Tyne and Wear, (c) Merseyside, (d) West Yorkshire, (e) South Yorkshire, (f) West Midlands and (g) Greater Manchester is as follows: London0Tyne and Wear0Merseyside0West Yorkshire1South Yorkshire3Greater Manchester1 This data has been provided by national park authorities.

Assistance Dogs

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations he has received from Police and Crime Commissioners on the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals for an offence of attacking service animals.

George Eustice: We have not received representations directly from Police and Crime Commissioners for bringing forward legislative proposals for an offence of attacking service animals.

Animal Welfare

Jo Platt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of animal rescue homes in England.

George Eustice: We do not have any recent estimates of the number of animal rescue homes in England.

Bovine Tuberculosis: West Sussex

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the levels of bovine tuberculosis in West Sussex.

George Eustice: The incidence of bovine TB in West Sussex is very low. Sporadic cases arise usually as a result of inward movements of infected cattle from higher incidence areas of GB. The levels of bovine tuberculosis in West Sussex are described in the regional TB epidemiological reports for the Low Risk Area. The most recent assessment was for the first six months of 2017 and the specific report can be found here:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/670109/south-east-lra-2017-mid.pdf

Livestock: Transport

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the bio-security protocols are for the transport of live animals from TB hot spot to non-hot spot areas.

George Eustice: With a few exceptions (such as movements to slaughter) cattle at least 42 days old that are moved into herds in the low TB risk area of England (LRA) from higher TB risk areas in GB must have i) a clear pre-movement TB test in the 60 days before being moved, followed by ii) a post-movement TB test between 60and 120 days after arrival. Both TB tests are privately arranged and paid for by the herd keepers.

Fishing Catches: EU Action

Scott Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effects on fishermen of the EU discard ban coming into full force in 2019.

Scott Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of withdrawing from the EU discard ban before it comes into full force in 2019.

George Eustice: The UK Government continuously works with the fishing industry, and other interested parties, in assessing the impacts of the landing obligation on the industry, as well as on fish stocks. We continue to participate actively in the regional groups that are currently preparing the discard plans for 2019, and are working closely with Member States and the Commission in preparing for the full implementation of the landing obligation in 2019. This will enable us to end wasteful discarding, while providing the industry with the support it needs to operate effectively. The UK Government is committed to implementing EU regulations while it remains a member. We will continue to work with the industry to develop a landing obligation that reflects the UK’s mixed fisheries once we leave the EU.

Home Office

Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been detained for periods longer than 28 days at Yarl's Wood Detention Centre since 2010.

Caroline Nokes: Information on people leaving detention, who were detained for longer than 28 days in the detention estate is available in table dt_06_q of the detention tables. Data broken down by individual detention centre are not available in a readily accessible format.The latest data, published in ‘Immigration Statistics, October to December 2017’, are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/681703/detention-oct-dec-2017-tables.ods

Deportation

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many non-UK nationals have been removed from (a) Scotland and (b) Northern Ireland; and for what reasons each of those people were removed in each month of each year since 2010.

Caroline Nokes: The Home Office does not hold the information you have requested in a reportable format. The information requested could only be supplied at disproportionate cost.The latest published data on returns is available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-october-to-december-2017/how-many-people-are-detained-or-returned

Immigrants: Caribbean

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what meetings she has held with black majority church leaders to discuss her Department's arrangements for the Windrush generation.

Caroline Nokes: We have identified influential faith leaders in key cities throughout the UK and Caribbean community groups who will cascade our messages to the Windrush generation. We will identify 10-15 outreach community ambassadors who will carry out this activity This will include churches, community events and local businesses, in around 400 African Caribbean touch points in five key cities including: London, Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham and Bristol.

Immigrants: Caribbean

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people in the Windrush generation have paid fees to secure (a) citizenship and (b) indefinite leave to remain.

Caroline Nokes: Providing the information requested would require a manual check of individual records which could only be done at disproportionate cost.Individuals should contact the Home Office, by telephone on 0800 678 1925 or by emailing commonwealthtaskforce@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk. The team will help the applicants to demonstrate that they are entitled to live in the UK and will aim to resolve cases within two weeks when the evidence has been provided.Information has been published on the Home Office website:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-team-to-help-commonwealth-citizens-confirm-their-status-in-the-ukhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/undocumented-commonwealth-citizens-resident-in-the-uk/undocumented-commonwealth-citizens-resident-in-the-uk

Scotland Office

Food Banks: Scotland

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he plans to visit a food bank in May 2018.

David Mundell: I currently have no plans to visit a food bank in my capacity as Secretary of State for Scotland in May 2018.

Cabinet Office

Unemployment: Dyspraxia

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of people diagnosed with dyspraxia who are (a) unemployed and (b) not in training or further education.

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of school leavers and adults with dyspraxia who are (a) in work and (b) in training or further education.

Chloe Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA response
(PDF Document, 121.73 KB)

Department for International Trade

Department for International Trade: Plastics

Thelma Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department has taken to reduce its use of single-use plastics.

Greg Hands: The Department for International Trade is committed to reducing its use of single-use plastics and is actively taking steps to achieve this.At our London headquarters, we have already replaced plastic food containers from our catering services, with bio-degradable alternatives.We will continue to work with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and our suppliers to remove single-use plastics from our office estate.